"Rotten to the core" - Dave McIntyre on South African doping culture

A report in The Times - Ireland highlighted some worrying trends emerging from underage rugby in South Africa.

The article by Martyn Ziegler states that rugby chiefs within Springbok rugby are becoming increasingly alarmed by the use of anabolic steroids in the country.

The report also suggests both parents and coaches are complicit in providing performance enhancing drugs to players as young as 14.

Reacting to the report on OTB AM on Wednesday, Dave McIntyre said: "There needs to be a review done of the Irish rugby policy of bringing South Africans into our games because yes, the guy you're bringing in could be clean but was he clean when he was 18? Was he clean when he was 16?

"That is rotten to the core that you've got parents involved in the doping of their own sons," he added.

The report follows on from the controversy in Ireland last year when Gerbrandt Grobler was signed by Munster to provide cover in the second row.

The South African was previously banned for 2 years between 2014-16 and only stayed for one season in Ireland before moving to Gloucester in the English Premiership.

Grobler later said there was a three year contract on the table to stay at Munster but the furore around his previous ban saw him head to England instead.

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